A refreshing acidity and fragrance, perfect for refreshing <citrus fruits>.

Although it is familiar, there are so many different types!
Actually, there are many people who have not fully grasped the differences between them.

In this" acure Lounge," I've searched about "similar citrus fruits" several times in the past, but the depth is still too deep!

So this time I asked "Citrus Expert" for a lecture!
Knowing its charm and how to distinguish it,＜ Citrus I want to eat this summer ＞Let's find out!

Speaking of “citrus kingdom”, Ehime prefecture!

"Citrus sommelier Ehime Is a non-profit organization founded in Ehime. From this year, we plan to start the activities of the "citrus sommelier license system", and the lecturer will be Mr. Akari Hiroi, the "citrus expert" we interviewed (center).

400kg per year = 4,000 pieces compared to Wenzhou mandarin oranges! Mr. Hiroi, who loves citrus as much as he eats monocitrus, advocates "five mandarin oranges" and disseminates various ways to enjoy and enjoy citrus.

Mr. Hiroi, please start with "Basic knowledge of citrus fruits"!
There are many types of citrus, but how many are in Japan?

"There are about 200 kinds of citrus fruits in circulation. Among them, there are more than 100 kinds of Wenzhou mandarin oranges that are familiar with the image of "Kotatsu nikankan" (*)."

* Based on Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries statistics

Only 100 kinds of oranges in Wenzhou??
That's a great number!

"Citrus is a fruit with a very long history. However, there are only two citruses originally found in Japan, Tachibana (bottom photo) and Shikuwasa. Tachibana has also appeared in the record of the time of Himiko."

After that, a lot of varieties came to Japan as exchanges with other countries progressed. “Natural crossbreeding among varieties has progressed, and new varieties have been created,” says Hiroi.

In the Meiji era, many foreign varieties were imported, and in the Showa era, breeding technology (creating improved varieties) was established. It seems that the variety has increased steadily.

How many types are cultivated in Ehime prefecture today?

"According to the 2016 announcement by the prefecture, 41 types. This is the number of items in Japan What is it! "

"Ehime Prefecture was originally known as a mandarin orange producing region due to its mild climate, but in the early 1970s, the price of Wenzhou mandarin oranges fell sharply due to the expansion of production areas and the large increase in production. With the prefecture as a whole, it changed its direction to "multi-product development." By increasing the cultivation other than Wenzhou mandarin oranges and putting effort into the development of new varieties, it became the best citrus kingdom in Japan.

The Ehime Speaking of which, also a variety of gourmet using citrus ... (to such a thing?! Do not "Ehime citrus gourmet" in this article so! ).

When I found out that there are many kinds of citrus fruits, I was interested <difference in taste>.

“Summer citrus has a characteristic that makes it easy to see,” says Hiroi.

Above is the "Taste Chart" of the main citrus fruits.

"There are many" yellow citrus fruits "in summer. In terms of charts, Amanatsu, Kawachi Bankan are the yellow citrus fruits that appear in the early summer to summer. It's citrus. "

The chart above and the appearance colors are also shown, making it easy to understand!
With this, you can quickly find your favorite citrus fruits!

"Most of the yellow citrus are varieties born from natural crosses. The cultivars that have recently appeared tend to pursue sweetness, but varieties born from natural crosses have various tastes such as bitterness, sourness and acridness. Yes, you can enjoy the appeal of citrus fruits that cannot be measured by sugar content alone.''

Check out the "Amanatsu (left photo)" and "Kawachi Bankan (right photo)" in the photo above for the coming season!

"Sweet summer" is the official name of "Kawano Natsudaidai (Natsu Kono orange)".
It has an orange color with a strong "yellow" taste.

"Amanatsu is a mutant of summer mandarin orange. It is sweeter than the sour summer mandarin orange, so it's easy to understand!

However, it has not only sweetness but also sourness, bitterness and acridness, and the punchy scent is also impressive. It's bohemian and has a wild scent.''

Mr. Hiroi also says "I love sweet summers!" and says, "It's nice, but I want you to be near the citrus no. 1!". What's that mind? !

"Peel with a knife, take a bunch of buns... It's hard to eat and it's not flashy, but I am fascinated by its complex and deep taste. You can fully enjoy the fruits, such as dressing the fragrant fruit juice and making the peels sweets. It's also good"

​" Kawachi Bankan ", which is exactly "yellow citrus", is also one of the popular varieties for citrus lovers.

"Kawachi Bankan is in season later than Amanatsu and may be available until around August. It is available when there are few types of citrus fruits, so for citrus lovers, it is a" summer savior "!"

It is also called "Japanese grapefruit"...?

"It has less bitterness and sourness than grapefruit, and has a milder sweetness."

But Mr. Hiroi, I'm not so used to hearing "Kawachi Bankan" ...

"It's often distributed under other names. Everything sold under names such as" Mishokan "and" Ainan Gold "is Kawachi Bankan."

So, just because I didn't notice it, I might have already tasted Kawachi Bankan!

"I call it'Japanese grapefruit with many faces'! Besides, Kawachi Bankan has different tastes and textures depending on the season and harvesting method."

It goes on sale from March to August, but the later it is taken, the less sour it becomes and it becomes sweeter, and the pulp has a crispy texture.

It seems that there is a difference that even if it is in the middle of summer, the fruits harvested and stored in spring have weak acidity and plenty of juice.

"Please try the Kawachi Bankan that you met that day, thinking that it is a" once-in-a-lifetime meeting "."

Far from summer, it's the only encounter that day...!

By the way, the name of Kawachi Bankan comes from the fact that it was discovered in Kawachi Town, Kumamoto Prefecture, but it seems that the current No. 1 yield is Ainan Town, Ehime Prefecture.

It will be fun to go to the fruit counter this summer to meet Kawachi Bankan, a "one-time-one-time meeting"!

However, if you want to enjoy the charm more easily, there is a drink like this.

Its name is" Kawachi Bankan " !!
A new drink of < acure made > that uses 30% of Kawachi Bankan juice from Ehime prefecture.

As Hiroi says, the sweetness and sweetness are milder than grapefruit.
Gokugoku, Phah! It has a refreshing taste that makes you want to drink it.

The slightly bitter scent that spreads softly when you open the cap will help you heal!

Try it out as a refreshing drink in the hot and humid summer!

I am worried about "Amaatsu," which is another of the most important citrus fruits in summer! For those who say,"【Mineral water】From AQUA Amanatsu mikan "here is!

< acure > classic"【Mineral water】From AQUA "Flavored water with sweet summer juice from Ehime prefecture added.

The flavor water of acure is “sugar-free and non-calorie”!
Therefore, it is also perfect for accompanying meals and hydrating during sports and bathing.

Even the large 530 ml bottle is as nice as the thirsty season!
Please enjoy the scent of sweet summer.

Another drink that uses citrus from Ehime prefecture for this summer's acure!

The citrus on the iron plate = the charm of "Wenshu mandarin oranges" "Kokudashi【Juice】Ehime mikan Jelly" is.

The rich taste of mandarin oranges, the jelly-made "Puru-n!", has been popular since its launch in the winter of 2019.

Cool it as-is and fill it up as a "stomach filling" or "snack", and sometimes arrange it into a cocktail.... Please find your favorite way to enjoy it!

＞BAR TIME at home! < acure de Cocktail> Recipe

Now it's finally summer!
Even in the citrus kingdom, Ehime, the summer sun shines brightly.

Please spend a refreshing summer while enjoying the charm of citrus fruits that come from such a land.

Interview cooperation: NPO Citrus Sommelier Ehime